


Woody and June

by walkedoffanoldme



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Cheryl actually has friends, F/F, Family, Fluff, The Twins Are Cute, Toni is a doctor because she's canonically a genius, kind of a Raising Helen AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-23
Updated: 2020-12-23
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:27:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28259970
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/walkedoffanoldme/pseuds/walkedoffanoldme
Summary: Cheryl couldn’t make sense of the way her heart felt as though it’d been filled with helium and lit on fire, but she sure as hell knew it had everything to do with seeing the look on the stranger’s face matched with that on Woody and June's.OrWhen Cheryl met Toni and the Universe wouldn't let them forget it.
Relationships: Cheryl Blossom & Toni Topaz, Cheryl Blossom/Toni Topaz
Comments: 4
Kudos: 41





	Woody and June

**Author's Note:**

> Finally putting this one out into the Universe (it has been in progress since April but I got distracted by a Quinntana relapse). It's all plotted and almost complete, so it won't be a long wait for Chapter Two.
> 
> I love Mom!Cheryl and I feel like we were robbed of any cute twin moments on the show. Plus, Toni Topaz is a genius and deserves to be treated as such. 
> 
> In all honesty, the only parts of Riverdale I've actually seen are scenes with Cheryl and/or Toni in, everything else I've picked up from fics, so please afford me the creative license on this one.

It’s pretty idyllic really, the little house at the end of the newly built terrace block. There’s ivy growing up the wooden pillars of the porch and an old-fashioned lamppost on the small square of manicured front lawn, giving the property the character of a home ten times its age. 

The front ground floor window is lit up brightly, giving passers-by a peak into the kitchen, and life, of the home’s owner. If you were to have been walking down this particular block on this particular day past this particular house, however, you most probably would have steered well clear; due, in most part, to the painfully loud wails of a baby cascading through the open upstairs window. 

“Hey, June-Bug, hey. It’s okay, baby girl. You’re okay. I’m going to make it all better, okay? I’ve got you.” Cheryl Blossom stood in the middle of the nursery room in her quaint home, clutching a diapered baby to her chest as she rocked side to side in a soothing motion. Her flame-red hair was held back loosely by a scrunchy at the nape of her neck and her light-blue cardigan was adorned with baby vomit. 

Her baby was sick. Or, well, Cheryl suspected she was anyway. 

It had been a pretty normal day in the Blossom household. Cheryl had taken the babies – yes, _babies_ plural, twins in fact – to the park after breakfast before they’d all settled down inside for a day of studying, for the twenty-five-year-old, and playing, for the fourteen-month-olds. 

It was around midday when all hell had broken loose. She’d tucked June and Woody down for their nap and was just enjoying a moment of silence in the kitchen when an almighty scream had come from upstairs. Naturally, Cheryl had taken the steps two at a time in her efforts to get to her mini-me's room as fast as possible, bursting through the door ready to attack whoever, or whatever, was causing June’s (she could discern the babies’ cries from one another easily at this point) distress. 

Woody was stood up clinging to the edge of his crib as he glanced from his sister, who was sat screaming in her own four-walled bed, to the door as he expected Cheryl’s arrival. Upon realising the nursery was kidnapper free, the redhead had rushed over to the little girl, picking her up and holding her close as she looked her over for signs of what could be causing her upset. 

She hadn’t been able to discern any immediate cause for the crying, so she’d stripped the baby and put her in a lukewarm bath to cool her down (she was a little warm, but that could just be from the crying, Cheryl had mused). When the wailing didn’t relent and June only became more distressed, clinging onto the oldest Blossom with her chubby little fists and pressing her face into her chest, Cheryl had officially exhausted all her options. 

Cut to the present. 

“It’s okay, Honey, I’ll make it better.” She pressed her lips to the wispy red hair on the baby’s head, the shade so uncannily matching her own, and fumbled for her phone from her jeans back-pocket. She swiped it open and speed-dial called number two. 

It rang for a few rings, some of the longest rings Cheryl ever lived through, before the line connected with a crackle. 

“Hey, Cheryl! Oh my god, who’s screaming like that? Is that Woody?” 

Hearing her best friend’s voice allowed Cheryl a modicum of relief before she started rambling at a mile a minute down the phone, “No- no, God. It’s June-Bug. Betts, I don’t know what to do, she won’t stop screaming and I’ve tried everything, I think something’s wrong with her. I think she’s sick, she feels a little warm and I’ve tried to cool her down but nothing that would usually soothe her is working. Help me.” It’s really a miracle if Betty was able to make out any of the actual words that had been spewed at her, but she grasped the point enough to know she needed to take charge and act fast. 

“Cheryl, calm down. It’s going to be okay,” Betty’s tone was low and authoritative, “I’m texting V right now to come and pick you up, okay? She’ll drive you and the twins to the doctor. I’ll call ahead to let them know you’re on your way. Alright?” 

“Alright. Thanks, Betts,” Cheryl muttered, “I’ll keep you updated. Love you.” 

“Love you too, Cher, you got this.” 

As soon as the line went dead, the pale girl clicked her phone locked and shoved it back into her pocket. She murmured comfortingly into her baby girl’s ear as she started to swiftly pack up everything she would need for the trip. It was decidedly tricky to get Woody up and dressed, as every time she tried to put June down the little girl screeched even louder, however, it was a mission she managed to successfully navigate. 

It was all of ten minutes before she heard the beeping from outside and swung open her front door to be met with the familiar face of her best friend. “Ronnie…” She breathed out in relief. 

“I’ll get Woody strapped in, just focus on Junie.” The dark-haired woman was all action the second Cheryl greeted her, trotting up the front path and grabbing the happier of the twins from her friend. Veronica Lodge was always prepared for an emergency – it was a fact Cheryl had noted a few years ago and the Latina hadn’t failed her on it yet. Case in point, she had driven to the Blossom house with the twins’ spare car seats already prepared in the back. 

The motion of the car, probably paired with the exhaustion from having screamed her teeny heart out for the past hour, had June quietening down as Veronica drove them to Riverdale Hearts Hospital, her emerald eyes (the one feature Cheryl didn’t share with the twins) drooping shut. The adult redhead sat in the back, squished between the two car seats, one hand gently stroking through June’s hair as the other rested on the baby girl’s belly, her thumb absently rubbing over the soft cotton of the pyjama onesie she’d managed to get her into. 

Veronica glanced back at her in the rear-view mirror, “It’s going to be okay, Cherie. I’m sure she just picked up a bug at the park or something.” 

It didn’t do much to reassure Cheryl, but she appreciated the sentiment nonetheless and sent her best friend a small smile via the mirror. 

Once they arrived at the hospital and the car stopped moving, much to Cheryl’s dismay, June woke and started her sobbing once more. She left Veronica to follow with Woody and made her way as quickly as she could to the relevant entrance where she usually took the twins for their regular check-ups and jabs. 

With the baby wailing in her arms, the attention of what felt like the entire hospital was turned on her. It wasn’t uncommon for her to be on the end of prying stares when she was with the twins. She _did_ look pretty young to have babies their age, she would be the first person to admit that, however, it was rather trying at times. Especially like right now, when she knew they were judging her for not being able to pacify the baby in her arms. 

“Miss Blossom, good afternoon! Oh dear, poor baby. Betty Cooper rang ahead and said we were to be expecting you- I’ve already informed the doctor. Please have a seat, she’ll be right out.” 

Smiling thinly at the middle-aged woman behind the desk, Cheryl tentatively glanced around the waiting room debating which seat she should take – it was a toss-up between a spot directly beside two annoyed-looking pregnant women or one next to a green-tinged preteen clasping a puke bucket. 

She chose neither and opted to pace the small corridor separating the waiting room and the doctors’ offices, shushing the baby whose face was nestled closely into the crook of her neck as her sobs turned to – even more unbearably, in Cheryl’s opinion – pained whimpers. 

Veronica wasn’t too far behind, settling down in the kid’s playpen with Woody, entertaining the small boy with a caterpillar on wheels toy. Of course, she kept a keen eye on her panicking bestie, already having decided it was probably smart not to mention the dried applesauce slicked down the back of the redheads left thigh. Being a single parent of twin babies was hard enough when they were both happy and healthy, let alone with one screaming bloody murder. 

And Veronica was SO proud of Cheryl. God, so, so proud. 

What the girl had been through at the age of just twenty-five was something full ass grown adults couldn’t even comprehend and she’d just… gotten on with it… Really, she was the business woman’s inspiration and she made sure to help her out whenever she got the chance. 

Plus, the twins were beyond cute. They were incentive enough to be around the family of three all the time. 

“Juniper Blossom?” 

Cheryl’s head whipped round at the full naming of the baby in her arms and she felt her cheeks rouge in embarrassment as the pregnant women rolled their eyes and cocked their way-to-thinly plucked eyebrows. 

“It’s just June,” She spoke softly as she approached the woman in the doorway, “June Blossom. I’m her- um- she’s mine. Cheryl Blossom.” 

The woman afforded her a gentle smile in return, “My apologies, Cheryl. June it is. Please, this way.” The woman was taller than Cheryl, professionally dressed in a pant suit with her white coat over the top and stethoscope round her neck. 

The redhead turned to share a look with Veronica, the pair having mastered the art of silent conversations years ago. She got a small nod in return and glanced quickly at where Woody was playing on the mat before rushing to catch up with the older woman. 

“I’m Doctor Burble,” The woman led Cheryl into her office, pictures of cartoon sea animals plastering the walls, “My colleagues and I have just started a new rotation here at Riverdale Hearts, so I apologise you couldn’t see your normal paediatrician. I assure you I’m just as qualified to help, so you have nothing to worry about… Now, let’s have a look at little June, shall we?” 

The whole examination was rather anticlimactic, really. Doctor Burble quickly and professionally assessed the whimpering baby before determining she had an ear infection. Apparently, they were ‘very common’ in babies the twins’ age and that Cheryl had ‘nothing to worry about’. The last hour of her life had something else to say about that, but the pale woman just nodded politely, listening intently as she was advised on medicine and other ways to help her baby girl. 

The baby in question had, in fact, fallen asleep after being given an oral dose of medicine and Cheryl left the office clasping a bag of it in one hand and the child in the other. 

“I’ve settled the bill and insurance documents and B is on her way to meet us at your house right now.” Veronica was stood at the reception desk, Woody sitting on the edge of the counter, carefully balanced by his godmother as she dropped her phone into her designer handbag. “What did they say it was?” 

Cheryl leant forward to blow a raspberry on Woody’s cheek affectionately, resting into her friend’s touch as she looped her arm around her to guide the exhausted woman back to the car. “An ear infection, she said. According to Doctor Burble they’re super common- Oh!” 

She’d been so relaxed in Veronica’s embrace and focused on the baby in her arms, Cheryl hadn’t even noticed the woman coming through the front doors in the opposite direction, accidentally knocking the stranger’s shoulder rather aggressively with the hand holding the medicine bag causing it to fall to the floor at their feet. 

The redhead began to crouch to retrieve it as gently as she could without waking the baby in her arms when a hand whipped out and grabbed it before she could even get halfway into the squatting position. 

“Let me get that for you.” 

Flicking her eyes up from the medicine bag, Cheryl was met with a sight definitely worth the lingering her gaze was doing. The woman stood in front of her was undeniably gorgeous. Her long, dark hair was braided and the intricate plaits had been flipped over to one side cascading over her left shoulder, a canvas of dark brown with the occasional blonde streak. The petite woman was garbed in a black leather jacket over a simple tight white cropped vest and ripped skinny jeans, and really the redhead couldn’t help but bite her lip in appreciation. 

“Cherie?” The sound of Veronica’s voice snapped Cheryl out of whatever Goddess-Stranger haze she had been in and she snatched the medicine from the outstretched hand. “Watch where you’re going next time.” She hissed, eyeing the sleeping baby in her arms for signs of stirring. 

The woman’s eyes narrowed and lips pursed as she contemplated how to react to that, noting the tired circles under the redhead’s eyes and the puke on her cardigan. “My bad,” she relented, raising her hands up and backing away slowly, “I’ll keep my eyes peeled next time.” 

Huffing, Cheryl clenched her teeth and nodded sharply, spinning on her heels to stride the rest of the way outside. Veronica trotted behind her choosing not to mention what she’d just witnessed as she took the family home. 

~ 

Two weeks later found Cheryl battling in the very same doorway of the doctor’s surgery. This time it wasn’t due to a beautiful stranger, however, but instead the size of the double width stroller she was attempting to force through it. It was a gaudy contraption she’d managed to bag at a garage sale in Centreville for a bargain price and it had caused her absolutely nothing but trouble since. Why would they even manufacture a stroller they _knew_ wouldn’t fit through any regular sized doors? What did they think was going to happen? That she’d exclusively be entering Target or Walmart for the next few years of her life? C’mon… 

“Hey,” A familiar voice rasped out from behind her, “Let me help you with that.” She knew that voice. She’d been thinking about that voice non-stop for the last two weeks. Cautiously, Cheryl turned, tucking her hair behind her ear to get an unobstructed view of the person coming, yet again, to her aid. 

Today the woman had her braids half up into a bun, half draped down her back and wore blue scrubs over a long-sleeved white top. A doctor. Oh, a _doctor_ … clearly (beautiful and smart! Cheryl could feel the boxes in her head being checked off), and, wow, who knew anyone could look that good in polyester? “It’s you.” Smooth, Cheryl, real eloquent. 

The stranger cracked a grin at that, “It is me, you’re not wrong. And it’s you- Cherry, right?” As she spoke, the woman stepped forward and started to try and shift the stroller, careful not to fluster the babies strapped into it, completely oblivious to the commotion around them. 

“Cheryl, actually… Cherie is just a nickname… It’s not going to fit, don’t worry about it really, I’ll just leave it out here or som- Oh.” After some carefully angled manoeuvres, the stroller rolled smoothly through the door and into the room beyond. Who was this woman? Striding into her life in casual-wear AND uniform to save the day not once, but twice in as many weeks. It was really, actually, rude, the redhead fumed. The audacity. 

“You’re welcome to thank me this time. No pressure, though,” the doctor snarked jokingly, biting back a grin, “Your babies are gorgeous- such cuties.” Now they were in the waiting room and not blocking the entryway, the doctor took the opportunity to crouch down in front of the twins, tickling their tiny feet and chuckling when they squealed with joy. 

Cheryl couldn’t make sense of the way her heart felt as though it’d been filled with helium and lit on fire, but she sure as hell knew it had everything to do with seeing the look on the stranger’s face matched with that on Woody and June’s. “I guess a thank you _is_ in order on this occasion,” She mused, her eyes following the woman’s as she stood up, “A name to address it to might be additionally appropriate?” 

“Antoinette Topaz at your service, m’lady. But you can just call me Toni.” 

Before Cheryl could reply, the crackling of the intercom filled the room, “Paging Doctor Topaz. Please report to the ICU immediately. Doctor Topaz to the ICU.” 

Toni sighed with something that Cheryl thought was akin to disappointment, “Duty calls, I’m afraid. It was lovely to meet you again, Cheryl. This time far outweighs the last- here’s hoping the next time is even better, huh?” With a wink at the stunned redhead and a wave at the twins, Toni was off down the corridor. 

“Hey! Wait!” the pale woman called out and the retreating figure stopped to look back at her, “Thank you, Toni.” 

The softest smile she’d ever been on the receiving end of was cast her way before Toni’s back was turned once again and she was jogging around the corner and out of sight. 

~ 

June was completely infection free and Cheryl was floating with relief. Or was it whatever emotion had come over her during her conversation with Toni? Either way, her baby was healthy and happy and she’d had a pleasant interaction with a beautiful doctor – not a bad way to start a Monday, she had to admit – she even managed to exit through the door-that-was-out-to-get-her without incident, navigating the stroller successfully through the tight gap with only some minor cursing. 

Her head was held high as she strode down the sidewalk, proudly pushing the adorable babies and whipping her hair back to let the breeze blow through it. A slow-mo worthy moment. That was, until a small cry came from the stroller in front of her, “Naw-Naw!” Oh no, oh please no, she knew what that meant. 

Naw-Naw was the stuffed dinosaur Archie Andrews, Veronica’s boyfriend, had gifted Woody for his first birthday a couple of months ago and the baby hadn’t left a room without it since. Although Cheryl appreciated the sentiment, honestly, and thought it was incredibly cute, it had caused her nothing but trouble. Naw-Naw had been misplaced and, dare she admit it, _re_ placed more than a dozen times in its short stint with her tiny family and she knew, she just _knew_ , that her perfect morning was about to be buried under a hours long search for the runaway toy. 

“Naw-Naw, Naw-Naw, Naw-Naw.” The little boy’s cries were escalating so the redhead stuck her head over the top of the stroller to dangle her hair, followed by her face, into the boy’s vision. “We’ll find it, Baby,” She sighed, “Come on.” Manicured nails reached out to tickle him under his chin as she spun them around, heading back towards the Doctors Office. 

Just as they reached the pathway up to the world’s most devious doorway, a blue and brown streak sped out, screeching to a stop in front of the trio of Blossom’s. 

“Oh! Cheryl! I was just looking for you, I’d hoped you hadn’t got far- I just found this in the corridor outside Doctor Burble’s office … It has your surname stitched into its foot.” 

Toni Topaz stood before her, chest heaving from the intense rush she’d just been in paired with her out of breath ramble, clutching in her hand the Naw-Naw in question. Woody squealed with joy at the sight of his toy, tears instantly gone and pudgy fist reaching out for it. The doctor chuckled and lowered her hand to let him take it. “Good things come in threes, right?” She joked. 

This level of coincidence was all quite bewildering to Cheryl, if she was being truthful. First with the bumping into her, then with the doorway and now the toy? What was the Universe playing at? Couldn’t it see she was already occupied with two tiny loves of her lives – she didn’t have the mental or emotional capacity for much more. 

And how did the doctor even know her full name? 

Oh God. 

No. Toni had read up on her. Surely, she wouldn’t have? Would she? A flush of anxiety crept its way across Cheryl’s scalp, like someone was dousing her with ice water, she felt the red flush of embarrassment bloom on her pale cheeks and defensive indignation bubbled in her chest. 

“How do you know my surname?” She questioned, her head tilting to one side, “That was information I unquestionably did not divulge in our fortuitous encounter this morning.” 

Brown eyes widened at that and a sheepish look crept across Toni’s (undeniably gorgeous, Cheryl wasn’t blind) features. “I… I read your file,” she admitted softly, “I’m really sorry, Doctor Burble is my mentor and she wanted to teach me something using Juniper’s-” 

“It’s just June.” Cheryl interrupted with a hiss. 

“Sorry- June’s case and I was just so intrigued by you. I should have said no, Cheryl, I’m really sorry. It was highly unprofessional of me considering the flirting I’d been doing with you.” 

The redhead all but short-circuited at that. Flirting? Toni had been flirting with her? And was openly admitting it? Toni had read her file? 

Toni had read her file. 

The elation from the morning left her as quickly as it had come, her entire body deflating as she gripped the stroller and glared at the woman before her. “Cast your judgements then. Everybody does. I promise you, anything you have to say I’ve heard before.” 

Just like the first time they’d met, Toni raised her hands in surrender, “Wow- No, Cheryl, I’m not judging you-” 

“Thank you for retrieving Naw-Naw for us, Doctor Topaz. Now, if you don’t mind, the twins and I have far better places to be than here talking to you.” Cheryl cut Toni off yet again, marching off before she could get a word in, leaving the doctor at a total loss as to what had just happened and with no chance of rectifying her mistake. 

~ 

Later that night found Toni Topaz clocking off work at 8pm after a day full of blood, guts and bodily fluids. Not to mention the incessant thoughts of a certain ginger woman that had clouded her mind every free moment she was spared. 

Toni freed her braids from the bun she was sporting, letting them fall over her shoulders as she shoved her motorcycle helmet on, already having changed into her ripped jeans and Serpent jacket – her usual before and after work attire. She had been itching to leave the hospital all day, an unusual occurrence for the woman who loved her job more than anything, but it had just been so hard to concentrate after the incident with Cheryl. 

Kicking her bike into action and heading in the direction of the Southside, Toni let herself ponder over the happenings of her day. 

Honestly, she felt a little guilty over what had happened – if she had any intention of following up on her initial interest in Cheryl, she shouldn’t have really agreed to look at her file. Then again, she was a Junior Doctor and her mentor was trying to teach her something, it wasn’t like she could have turned around and told Doctor Burble that she couldn’t look in the file because she’d met the redhead in question twice and thought she was hot! 

Plus, how was she to know that she was ever going to see the pale woman again? There’s no way she could have predicted the whole stuffed animal incident and, as much as she had been hoping their paths would have crossed at some point, there hadn’t been any sort of indication that it was a possibility. 

It was also a well-known fact that Antoinette Topaz did not do serious relationships. Casual ones, yes. Sex with strangers? Definitely. But full-blown serious relationships? Absolutely not. She didn’t have time, for one, and it wasn’t something she felt like she needed in her life, especially not at her age. 

Which made these thoughts about a certain woman even more uncharacteristic. Cheryl had _children_. Two actual real-life, dependent on her for everything, babies. And although they happened to be some of the cutest kids Toni had ever had the pleasure of meeting, they were kids nonetheless and that carried with it some pretty heavy implications. 

Her thoughts were interrupted as she pulled up to the Whyte Wyrm and greeted the few smokers outside who recognised her, leaving her bike amongst the many lined up in the small parking lot and pushing her way through the saloon doors. This bar was her home away from home, her favourite in town and just so happened to be owned by her two best friends. 

The familiar sound of, “Topaz!” greeted her as she took a seat at the bar, hopping onto one of the high-stools and tossing her helmet at the man behind the bar. He stashed it away and grabbed her a pint glass, fulfilling her regular order. 

“Hey, Sweets. Busy day?” 

“Nothing out of the ordinary, you know, business as usual… What about you, Tiny, you look like you’ve been through the fucking wringer?” He slid the pint across the bar with a bag of chips to accompany it. 

Sweet Pea and Toni had first met when they were literal foetuses. Their mothers had enrolled in the same Southside Rec Centre Antenatal classes and were soon fast friends. When the two women had actually given birth to them, they had become inseparable. Both their families didn’t have a lot of money and the two kids had taken a blood-oath (no joke, Toni still had the scar to prove it) to always watch out for one another and their mothers. Sweet Pea’s dad had bailed before he was born and Toni’s died on active service abroad when she was two, so other than the women raising them, they were all each other had – that was, until they got old enough to join the Southside Serpents, anyway. 

Sighing heavily, Toni ran her hands through her long braids, twirling one round her finger as she considered how to explain her weird situation. “There’s this woman, Sweets-” 

“Wait, wait, wait- hold up. You’re telling me Toni Topaz has got all this way over a _girl_?!” He gestured to her dishevelled appearance, a smirk as big as Ronald McDonald’s forming across his tanned features, “You’re pulling my leg.” 

“It’s not funny,” she groaned, “You should have seen her, Sweets, she’s absolutely gorgeous. Like, beyond anyone I’ve ever seen before… She could’ve walked right off the cover of Vogue, that’s the level we’re talking here. And, God, honestly, she’s kind of rude? But also so sweet? Like, her little girl was sick and-” 

“Fuck off, T! A kid? A kid, T?! Oh my god, this is too good. The only person Antoinette Topaz has ever crushed on and she’s a hot mom? Un-fucking-believable… Wait until Fangs hears this.” 

“Sweets, no-” 

“Until Fangs hears what?” Dear God. It was like bad-timing was her middle name. 

“Toni’s got a crush! On a _mom_.” 

“Jesus, Pea, can you-” 

“Shut the front door! Never in my God Given days did I think I’d see you get embarrassed over a girl crush, Toni Topaz.” Fangs Fogarty’s eyes glimmered with mischief as he made his way around the bar to wrap his muscular arms around his tiniest friend and press his lips to the top of her head fondly. 

Fangs had been the missing piece to the puzzle that was Sweet Pea and Toni – a puzzle they hadn’t even realised was incomplete until they met him. 

You see, it was Serpent law you could get your jacket and join the gang officially at fourteen, but, until a few years ago that had included doing some absurd challenges and rituals as a rite of passage. 

That was how they’d met Fangs. Half-naked in a pool of mud, fighting one another for a scrap tyre. It had been Sweet Pea and Fangs in the middle of it with Toni on the edges trying to use her intelligence to compensate for what she lacked in physical size. The boys had been so fixated on the beatdown that no one noticed when the girl had slipped her way underneath and popped up between them, the tyre literally round her waist. And then she’d made a run for it. Fast. 

Toni was sure it had been a comical scene to watch, but she’d won fair and square and Fangs had just slotted into their dynamic ever since. He was from out of town, an orphan who’d bounced from group home to group home until, eventually, he decided the streets were better than anything the State could offer him. He’d been sleeping by a dumpster behind the Wyrm when the owner, Byrdie, had found him and told him the best thing he could do for himself was to join the Serpents. 

So, he did. And he got a job at the bar too, using his small wage to pay Toni’s mom enough that he wasn’t financially burdening them when she’d found out he was homeless and demanded he moved in. They had removed Toni’s (already miniscule) double bed and crammed a single bunk bed set in the space instead and that was that. He was her brother just as much as Sweet Pea was and she knew the two boys felt the same way. 

They were her family. 

“You’d understand if you saw her, trust me… And it’s not just one kid, it’s two. Twins. These adorable baby twins with this super ginger hair that matches hers and it’s honest to god the cutest thi- Why are you both gawking at me like that?” Toni interrupted her own tangent to question the two men stood before her, both their mouths hanging open as they shared a look she recognised as meaning they knew something she didn’t. “What is it?” 

Neither boy said anything for a second before she cocked her eyebrow in question, a clear sign to them both that they better start spilling and fast. Fangs reached up and slapped Sweet Pea on the back, nominating him as the designated speaker. 

“Uh- T, you said the twins were ginger, right? And the woman?” 

Toni’s eyes narrowed in suspicion and she only nodded in response, glancing at Fangs to gauge his emotions. 

“Well, um, the thing is, there’s only one family in Riverdale that produces redheaded twins… and that’s the Blossom’s.” The tall man stopped there with a shrug as though it was answer enough. 

“Her surname _was_ Blossom, how’d you know that?” Every single thing that had happened to her today was fucking weird and overwhelming, and this newfound mystery was not helping. 

“Because we knew her brother, Tiny.” Fangs murmured, his gaze firmly fixed on the dented wooden floor. 

“You did? Who?! I swear to god, if one of you don’t just spit it out-” 

Sweat Pea cut her off, “JJ, Toni! Her brother is- was- Jason. Jason Blossom.” 

Oh. Oh God. JJ. Jason. Of course. How could she have been so dim? Now she thought about it, Cheryl looked so similar to her brother; her hair, her skin, her defined cheekbones. But Toni had never known Jason’s last name or that he’d even had a sister, let alone a twin. She met hundreds of people at work daily - she didn’t sit around pondering if each one was related to someone she knew… Or in JJ’s case, had known. 

Jason had worked for the brewery that supplied the Whyte Wyrm and he and the boys had built quite a relationship over the years, ever since they’d bought the place from Byrdie. Occasionally, Toni would come into the bar after a long day of classes and be greeted by Jason’s familiar smile. He’d always have a pool cue ready and waiting for a game or two to help her de-stress from the madness of the day. The boys had been closer to him, obviously, she didn’t even know his surname, but she’d considered him a friend. And a good person. He hadn’t deserved what had happened to him. 

“Fuck me.” Toni breathed out, “This is insane. This is not normal, right? What are the chances that the one woman I’ve ever even vaguely thought about for more than one second- this insanely stunning woman who fate literally forced into my face not once, not twice, but three times! What are the chances that she’s our dead friend’s twin sister? Our dead friend who- who… well, you know.” 

There was a heavy silence as the three friends considered the weight of Toni’s question. They were lucky the staff and patrons of the bar had been smart enough to judge the severity of their conversation from afar and leave them uninterrupted. 

Eventually, Fangs broke the silence with a cough, “So, what are you gonna to do, T?” 

She sucked a breath through her clenched teeth as she contemplated the question. What was she going to do? As far as she and Cheryl had left it, she wasn’t going to see the woman ever again. And sure, she’d thought about getting her number from her file and shooting her an apology text, but really that was breaking literally hundreds of professional codes of conduct and privacy laws. Toni didn’t fancy going to jail or losing her license to practice medicine. There was also the chance that their path’s just might randomly cross by happenstance again, but that was so unlikely it wasn’t even worth considering. 

“Nothing… I guess. I’ll probably never see her again,” she shrugged, “I didn’t get her number or anything and she was super pissed at me by the end of our last encounter. I guess this’ll just be some weird story you remind me of in a couple of years.” 

Fangs leant forward to pull her into a hug, gesturing for Sweet Pea to come round the bar and join them. They sandwiched her in their embrace for a minute, none of them speaking, just appreciating the closeness. They were there for each other no matter what. 

“Alright, enough of this sappy shit,” Toni broke the silence, gently pushing them both off her, “I need another drink.” 

~ 

It had been a busy Friday night at Pop’s Chock’Lit Shop and Veronica was more than relieved when, at midnight, the bell on the door chimed signalling an entrance and she saw Cheryl pushing her way through, yellow pinafore and apron already on. 

“Thank God you’re here! My angel in disguise.” The tanned woman pulled the pale one into a hug the minute she’d stepped behind the counter. “How are the twins? Did you get them to Betty’s okay?” 

Cheryl reciprocated the hug tightly, chuckling at her best friend’s intense questioning. “Everyone’s fine, Ronnie. Betts picked them up after dinner, so I had a little time to finish my homework and nap before gracing you with my presence.” 

When her life had been turned upside down with the entry of the twins, Veronica had let her pick and choose shifts at Pop’s to work around the babies and school, giving her a small income stream to help with the cost of two growing infants. 

There weren’t a lot of patrons left in the diner, just a few high-schoolers and a couple of night-shift workers grabbing some food before heading to their jobs. The two women chatted for a while as Veronica got ready to leave and Cheryl started her shift, refilling the coffee pots and wiping down the surfaces (even though Roni insisted she’d just done it before the redhead came in). 

“Alright, that’s me for the night, ma Cherie. I’ll love you and leave you in peace.” As she spoke, Veronica took her coat from the stand by the door and slipped into it, “We still on for dinner at yours tomorrow night? I know B is really looking forward to it…” 

Cheryl breathed out a small laugh and shook her head, her friends really knew how to get what they wanted from her, “Of course, Ronnie, j’adore our Saturday nights… I only failed to attend last week because I had that horrific assignment due. I promise you I’m all yours for the night tomorrow.” 

The dark-haired woman wiggled her eyebrows suggestively as she came and leant over the counter, pressing a kiss to her best friend’s cheek, a small lipstick stain marking where her lips had landed. “I love you. Text me if you need anything tonight. As always, I’ll leave my phone on loud for you.” 

“I love you too. Have a nice night and send Archie my best wishes.” Cheryl waved her out of the establishment, walking around the tables to clear up some dishes and see if anyone needed anything before busying herself with refilling the condiment bottles. 

Veronica Lodge had been a staple in Cheryl’s life since they were fourteen and the Lodge’s had moved from New York City to Riverdale. Betty had been the redhead’s best friend already, mostly out of choice and a tiny bit out of convenience, as their families were very close and often spent weekends and holidays together. 

When Veronica entered the scene there had been quite the teenage-girl drama. The old saying of ‘three’s a crowd’ was the theme of their Freshman year of high school and some pretty nasty tomfoolery had taken place. That was before all three girls had pulled their heads out of their own asses and realised that patriarchal society was just out to pit women against each other and three girls could be best friends perfectly happily, thank you very much. If Monica, Rachel and Phoebe could do it, why couldn’t they? 

From then on, they’d become inseparable and completely and utterly untouchable. Cheryl was Head Cheerleader with Veronica and Betty as her vice-captains. Betty was Editor of the school newspaper and Veronica and Cheryl oversaw the Economics and Sports sections respectively. Veronica opened a Speakeasy under Pop’s and Betty and Cheryl played whatever part she needed from them, from Hostess to Security to Cleaner. 

They were a well-oiled machine of support and adoration. 

When the twins had happened, Betty and Veronica had been the only thing tethering Cheryl to earth. At her lowest points they’d held her in their arms and cried with her and _for_ her as they took on the burdens of her new life without a blink of an eye. 

So, there she was, filling condiments into glass bottles (they’re more eco-friendly, she’d informed Veronica) with a smudge of maroon lipstick on her cheek and a heart so full of love and affection for the people in her life, that she didn’t hear the bell ringing to announce the arrival of a new patron. 

“Hi.” 

A red head whipped up from where it was focusing on the sauce, eyes-wide in disbelief. 

“Are you stalking me?!” It was an overreaction but Cheryl’s hand reached to linger over the small panic button Veronica had installed underneath the counter after there had been some gang violence gone wrong on the Southside a few months back. 

An alarmed Toni shook her head vigorously in denial, “No! No! What? Of course not. I- I didn’t even know you worked here! Honestly, my colleague just told me about this place since I started the nightshift… Apparently, it’s the only twenty-four-hour diner in the vicinity of the hospital. I can leave, though. I should leave. I’m really sorry I scared you like that, Cheryl, have a nice night.” 

The redhead watched as the doctor fumbled her way through an explanation – in her defence, she _was_ wearing her scrubs, so her alibi was checking out – her slender fingers dropping away from their defensive stance on the hidden button. 

“Wait. Please- just, stay. Take a seat. Ronnie would kill me if she thought I was turning away paying customers.” It was a lame excuse, but it must have worked, as Toni was turning around and making her way to the counter, clearly taking the invitation to a seat as ‘sit as close to me as possible’. 

Not that the doctor knew what she was doing any better than the waitress (she was a waitress?). A trainee surgeon friend had told her this was the best place within walking distance of the hospital for food on a nightshift and tonight was the first shift she’d actually had the time to test that theory. 

She definitely hadn’t expected to walk into the old-timey diner and be met with the sight of the woman she’d been trying, and failing, to forget all week. 

The woman in question hesitantly slid a menu across the counter and lifted a pot of fresh coffee off the machine, “Coffee? Unlimited refills with every meal…” 

“Please.” Toni rasped, watching from over the top of her menu as Cheryl expertly poured her a mug, noting the way the redhead furrowed her brow in concentration and how her toned arm flexed as she manoeuvred the weight of the full pot. She also took note of the lipstick stain on her cheek. 

Once she was done, Cheryl took the doctor’s order and hurried off to place it with Pop, who was out back on kitchen duty. She then decided to steer clear of the counter area entirely, opting to check on the two other customers and pretend to wipe down the already spotless tables until she heard the little ding of the bell used to indicate food was ready. 

It wasn’t that she was nervous _per se_ _,_ more like embarrassed. Embarrassed at the way she’d reacted, embarrassed about what was in her file that Toni might have read, embarrassed that the woman had openly told her she was flirting with her. 

It was all too embarrassing to face. 

But that didn’t mean she wanted Toni to leave the diner and never come back. No, the exact opposite, she was so intrigued about the dark stranger currently leant over a worn copy of some medical textbook, furiously highlighting passages as she read. 

“Sorry to interrupt, but your food is ready.” 

Big, soulful eyes looked up at Cheryl from their position on the page, a small smile cracking the concentration right off Toni’s face. “Thanks.” 

The redhead lingered behind the counter once she’d slid the food across it, awkwardly gripping at its edge as she debated scurrying off out back. Before she could decide, however, a quiet clearing of a throat interrupted her internal deliberation. 

“So, you’re a waitress?” 

Bristling, Cheryl’s stance immediately transformed into one of defence, her arms crossing and her back snapping up taught. “Do you have a problem with that,” she drawled, “I thought you weren’t judging me?” 

Way to go, Toni, keep pissing off the beautiful woman, that’ll really do it for her. Sighing heavily, she dropped the fry she was holding back onto her plate. “God, I’ve really messed this up, haven’t I?” Toni watched as the pale features creased in confusion, or was it doubt? 

As far as the brunette was concerned, fate had brought them together too many times for her to let things lie. And if she was being honest, she didn’t want to. She didn’t want to walk away and never see Cheryl again. She’d _felt_ things- felt _emotions_ that’d she never thought she’d feel from meeting someone so briefly. 

And now she knew what she knew about the twins and about JJ. Urgh. She wanted to hold the woman in her arms and protect her, shroud her with a shield of love and support. 

Fuck it. 

“Look, Cheryl, I’m going to be completely straight with you right now… You are gorgeous. Seriously. Like, 1960s pin-up, beyond-real-life stunning. And honestly, I’m so intrigued by you. I want to know what’s going on inside your head- what you’re thinking and feeling and how your day was and what’s bothering you… But I get it- ok? I get that it’s weird for you that I read your file and that it took the power away from you in what you wanted to disclose to me or not, or how fast you usually tell people you date about the twins and your situation… I just… Want you know you I’m sorry and I hope you’ll consider getting to know me anyway?” Toni scrunched her nose in irritation at herself as she finished her tirade. 

“People I date?” 

Oh. Oh, she’d put her foot in it now. 

“Not that we’re dating! But- God, I’d like to? Date. Date you, I mean. Like, take you on a date. And I know you have a girlfriend maybe, but I don’t know if you’re exclusive? And if you are, I’m so sorry for all of this.” 

Cheryl’s lips were turning up now, her heart beating a little harder as she watched a flustered Toni try and get her words out. She wanted to date her. Toni wanted to date her. _Toni_ wanted to date _her_. This woman had read the fucked-up details of Cheryl’s existence and still wanted to go on a date with her. And she thought she had a girlfriend? Who? 

“Well, Doctor Topaz, apology accepted. I get it, alright. I know it’s intriguing- me and my babies, I mean.” As she spoke, Cheryl rested her elbows on the counter so their faces were at the same height, “And in all honesty, I haven’t actually dated anyone since I’ve had them, so really, this is all new to me and I wouldn’t have known when to divulge that information anyway... That being said, I definitely do _not_ have a girlfriend of any kind, exclusive or nay.” 

Toni let her eyes wonder across the pale feature before her, taking in the sincerity and vulnerability on Cheryl’s face as she spoke. “How long does that make it?” It’s not like she didn’t actually know – she would never and could never forget – and she’d read it in the woman’s file, but it felt right to ask. Like they were getting to know each other afresh rather than with the whole ‘I read your file and you were weirded out by it’ debacle. 

The redhead rolled her lips together in contemplation, it wasn’t really an event she loved to speak about as it was quite triggering; however, if she wanted this to go anywhere with Toni (did she want it to go anywhere? Her body and her soul screamed yes but her brain was being particularly cautious) then she owed it to the woman to be open. 

“Thirteen months, two weeks and three days.” 

Had it really been that long? It felt like yesterday to Toni. 

“They were only seven weeks old. When- well, when...” Would it always be this hard to talk about? Cheryl changed tact, “As you must have seen in my file, I’m not their biological mom. Technically, I’m their Aunt. My twin brother, Jason, and his wife, Polly, they- they passed away in a car accident. Their will stipulated I should assume legal guardianship of the twins in the circumstance that they were unable to provide care themselves. So, I did.” 

Toni’s gaze was fixed intently on pale features and chocolate brown eyes, her heart pounding compassionately in her chest. If she could do anything to lessen the pain of the woman in front of her should would, no questions asked. It was ridiculous really, to be so drawn to someone she’d only just met. But given everything that had happened - given the situation with JJ – Toni was certain it was no coincidence they were being brought together time and time again. 

“I’m so sorry for your loss, Cheryl. It must have been so difficult, to lose your bother and become a single-mother of two newborns all at once. I can’t even imagine... It’s phenomenal. You’re sensational.” 

The pale woman was so used to pity. Pity and distaste usually. But Toni was offering something entirely different. Pride, was it? Awe? “Thank you, Toni. I appreciate that... Luckily, I was not alone. My friends, they were my lifeline. I would not be here today if it were not for them.” She smiled softly at the tanned woman. 

The doctor nodded in understanding - she knew what it meant to have friends like that. “I’m guessing one of your friends is responsible for the lipstick on your cheek then?” 

A blush spread across pale skin as the waitress ducked down to peer at her reflection in the stainless steel of the coffee machine, scrubbing at her cheek profusely. “Definitely the handiwork of a devious one.” 

The pair continued to chat as the doctor ate her dinner. Cheryl learnt that Toni had lived in Riverdale her entire life, on the Southside, hence why their paths had never crossed prior to this, and was training to specialise in paediatrics. 

The redhead had to dart off and serve a couple of other customers as Toni was nearing the end of her meal, and when she returned to the bar five minutes later, she found her seat to be unoccupied. Just as she felt her heart falling in disappointment, she saw a scrawl of highlighter on a napkin tucked under the money Toni had left for her dinner. 

It was a mobile number and the words ‘Sorry, emergency at hospital. Here’s my number - no pressure – TT x’. 

~ 

**[Unknown]:** Hi, Toni. This is Cheryl Blossom from Pop’s. I received your note – I hope that everything was okay at the hospital. 

**[Toni Topaz]:** I’d almost given up hope you would use my number, Bombshell 

**[Toni Topaz]:** Everything was fine, thanks. 

**[Cheryl Bombshell]:** Bombshell? 

**[Toni Topaz]:** You’re a knockout remember 

**[Toni Topaz]:** How was the rest of your shift? 

**[Cheryl Bombshell]:** Speak for yourself... Thank you, that is incredibly flattering coming from you. It was fine, slow as always. Apologies for not texting you sooner, with the babies and school work it’s been a manic day. My friends are coming over soon so I had to get everything done. 

**[Toni Topaz]:** No stresses! I was only kidding. Thanks for finding the time to text me amid the madness – I'm honoured. 

**[Cheryl Bombshell]:** As you should be ;) Do you have Saturday evening plans? 

**[Toni Topaz]:** Ahaha 

**[Toni Topaz]:** I’m on nights all weekend 

**[Toni Topaz]:** Honestly I was hoping you would be working 

**[Cheryl Bombshell]:** I would have enjoyed your company again too. 

**[Toni Topaz]:** Nothing like seeing a beautiful woman to brighten up a long night shift xx 

~ 

“They’re finally asleep...” Cheryl traipsed down the stairs of her little home, fluffy socks, sweatpants and hoody adorning her tired body. The baby monitor she was holding was placed on the coffee table next to a discarded pizza box and she fell back into her cushy couch. 

Betty was already nestled into the arm of the sofa and adjusted to accommodate her friend, her hand instantly reaching up to stroke red locks. “Remember when they used to love bedtime? They’re definitely getting more mischievous by the day.” 

A huff left the exhausted mother and she leant further into the massaging touch. “Ronnie, where’s the wine?” 

“Here, here. Sorry.” Veronica Lodge bustled in from the kitchen, three wine glasses and a bottle in hand, squeezing herself down on the other side of Cheryl to join them on the couch. “Your garbage disposal isn’t working properly- Archie's going to come and fix it tomorrow.” 

“Oh. I hadn’t noticed. Thank you.” 

The dark-haired woman pressed a kiss to her friend’s temple, sharing a look over her head with the blonde member of their trio. Betty widened her eyes slightly and shook her head minutely, indicating she did not want to be involved in what Veronica was about to do. The tanned woman rolled her eyes at that and pursed her lips into a thin line. 

“Cherie?” 

Cheryl hummed in response, eyes fixed firmly on the movie playing on the TV as she sipped her wine and snuggled further into the space between her friends. 

“Who’s Toni Topaz?” 

Wine almost shot out of the pale woman’s nose at that. She spluttered and coughed as she tried to sit up, an alarmed Betty reaching for her glass and rubbing her back soothingly. Blonde and brunette shared another look – they hadn’t expected such a visceral reaction, that was for sure. 

Suddenly feeling the need to distance herself from her friends prying eyes, Cheryl went to stand but was immediately brought back down by Veronica’s arms around her waist, landing in her lap and being held down by an unpredictable strength from the tiny woman. There was no escaping it now. 

Huffing somewhat petulantly (it reminded Betty of June during a tantrum), the palest woman narrowed her eyes, “How do you know about Toni?” 

“So, there _is_ something to know?” It was Betty that had piped up this time, officially joining what their less tactful friend had started. 

“No! Well... Yes, but also it’s not- but how do you know about her?” Veronica’s eye had that glint in that scared Cheryl to the bone and she adjusted her features into the Blossom bitch face she was known so well for in high school. 

“Don’t get mad, Cherie B, but I just happened to be strolling past your phone when you got a text notification from a ‘Toni Topaz’ that read ‘nothing like seeing a beautiful woman to brighten up a long night shift’ with _two_ kisses. Obviously, I asked B if she knew anything about it and she didn’t which leads me to think you, my stunningly beautiful, sexy, milf of a best friend, have a secret lover.” 

Cheryl was still firmly held in her friend’s lap, eyeing her incredulously as she soliloquised and sending a couple of questioning looks at their other friend to corroborate the story. At the mention of Toni’s latest message, pale cheeks reddened and she began to peer around hastily in an attempt to locate her phone. 

She hadn’t seen the message come through earlier as her friends had arrived and the babies had needed feeding and bathing and putting to bed. “Where’s my phone, Ronnie?” 

Guiltily, the brunette pointed towards the kitchen, “On the breakfast bar.” She released her grip and allowed to Cheryl to jump up. The redhead swiftly retrieved the device and opened Toni’s message. 

Beautiful. She called her beautiful with such ease and openness, Cheryl couldn’t help but believe she was being honest. 

**[Cheryl Bombshell]:** Looking in the mirror might do the trick then. I hope your shift goes well. x 

It was cheesy and she almost couldn’t send it, but honestly, Toni was being so flirty and complimentary towards her, it would have been rude not to reciprocate. Especially given that she did actually think the doctor was the most beautiful woman she’d ever laid eyes on. 

She shuffled back into the living room unwillingly. She was definitely going to have to answer their questions now. 

“Toni Topaz is a Junior Doctor at Riverdale Hearts. Ronnie, do you remember that woman I ran right into when we had to take June-Bug there? In the doorway? Braids?” Veronica’s eyes narrowed in thought and she nodded, vaguely recalling the event. “Well, I ended up bumping into her three times after that. Twice more at the hospital and then last night, at Pop’s.” 

Betty beckoned her forward from where she was stood before them, tugging her back into her original spot sandwiched between her two biggest supporters. “And you like her.” 

It wasn’t a question. 

“She is undoubtedly the most gorgeous human being I’ve ever encountered.” 

Veronica scoffed and raised an eyebrow in semi-disbelief. “Rude. I’m sat right here.” 

The blonde rolled her eyes at that and squeezed Cheryl’s arm reassuringly, “Okay. So, you find her physically attractive... But do you actually _like_ her?” 

Always the logical one of the three. Betty Cooper thought things through whilst Cheryl and Veronica tended to act on instinct. She’d saved them from making more than a few rash mistakes. 

“I do. But it’s not going to happen. I don’t have time to date anyone. Not with school and the twins, I need to spend any second I have free studying or at work. It wouldn’t be fair to Toni- to anyone- I just don’t have the time to offer.” 

Either side of her, Cheryl’s friends cuddled closer, holding her tight. Ever since Jason had died and left her with the twins, the redheaded woman hadn’t gone on a single date or even hung out with a friend that wasn’t Betty, Veronica, Archie, Jughead or Reggie. Her two best friends were very aware of the fact Cheryl hadn’t kissed another human (not including the babies or one of them) in almost two years, let alone had sex. 

It actually physically pained Veronica if she thought about it too long. No sex in almost twenty-four months?! She’d explode. “It doesn't have to be that deep, Cherie, you could always just go out for a couple of drinks, scratch that itch. Honestly, I’m close to offering to do it myself at this point.” 

“Ronnie! You missed your chance to get with this... Your choice of redhead is as questionable now as it was then but it’s too late to exchange, I’m afraid.” 

When Veronica had first transferred schools, Cheryl had developed a bit of a crush on the girl, only aiding to fuel their rivalry due to her confusion about her sexuality. Betty had been well aware of her best friend’s preferences, long before the girl came to her own realisation, often conspiring with Polly and Jason on how they could help Cheryl with it. 

Ultimately, the woman had come out in her Freshmen year of college when she had fallen madly in love with her roommate, Heather, and the pair became an item. They broke up a few months before the accident: Cheryl’s last opportunity to have sex. 

“V’s not wrong, though, Cher. You could just go out with this Doctor to release some tension. It’s been far too long since you did anything for yourself. Plus, I can take the twins for the night so you can bring her back here... Everything can be done on your terms.” 

It was a good offer. But was Cheryl really the type of girl who could engage in an emotionless sexual relationship? Almost definitely not. Plus, she was a mother! She couldn’t be sleeping around with random women... What if someone from the twins’ day-care found out? 

And what would Jason and Polly say if they knew she was choosing a night of - what she had already assumed would be _incredible –_ sex over staying in with the babies. The babies they’d _specifically_ left in Cheryl’s care. But honestly, she knew what they’d say. Jason would be supportive and encouraging and tell her to tell Toni that she better treat her right or he’ll have something to say about it. Because he was the best. The literal best brother in existence. And Polly would stroke his back fondly and tell her that the twins would be fine without her for one night and that she knows Cheryl loves them with all her heart and she couldn’t thank her enough for everything she was doing for them. 

Tears started to well in chestnut eyes at her thoughts and Betty and Veronica immediately wrapped their arms tighter around her. “You’re thinking about JJ and Poll?” The blonde murmured, tucking her chin onto Cheryl’s shoulder and reaching up to brush away tears. 

She knew the pain Cheryl was feeling – she'd lost her sibling too. Granted she and Polly were never as close as Jason and Cheryl had been, but God, it still hurt. It hurt so badly. 

“Do you think they’d be proud of me? Happy that they left the twins in my care? It doesn’t make any sense... I was so selfish in comparison to you, Betty, so why me? You’re the strong one. You would have been so much better at navigating life with them in it... I’m doing a terrible job.” 

Betty sighed loudly and stood up suddenly, startling Veronica and Cheryl who peered up at her questioningly. The blonde woman strode to her purse, grabbing her phone and flicking through it until she located what she was searching for. 

“I have to show you something... But first you have to promise not to get mad at me or hate me for not telling you this earlier.” 

Cheryl’s eyes narrowed and she glanced from Betty to Veronica, who looked as clueless as she felt, and back to her oldest friend. “I cannot promise not to get mad, but I could never hate you.” 

It was the best Betty was going to get and she knew it. 

“Okay, that’s fair. Well, you remember that night? The night it happened?” 

God, did Cheryl remember. 

_The night it had happened Cheryl had been studying in the library on campus. There was a five-thousand-word essay on Contract Law due in a few days and minimal preparation had been done already, so she had a lot to catch up on. Around half an hour before, she had been suddenly overwhelmed by a splitting headache and had considered packing it all in but, alas, she had to persevere with this hellish essay. A few Aspirin later, the pain had dulled to an ache and she was able to carry on her futile attempt at studying cases._

_She missed the first call, her phone on silent and her attention locked on her essay, but had glanced over by happenstance when it rang the second time. An Unknown number flashed on the display and she considered ignoring it – it was probably spam anyway – but she wouldn’t mind the break so she quickly strolled to the stairwell and accepted the call._

_“Hello?”_

_“Hello. Is this Miss Cheryl Blossom?”_

_“This is she.”_

_“Miss Blossom, this is Doctor Lopez from Riverdale Hearts Hospital. There’s been an accident involving your brother Jason and Polly Cooper. Are you able to come to the_ _hospital_ _at this time?”_

_“Is Jason alright? Why didn’t he call me himself? Where are the twins?”_

_“We’ll answer all your questions when you get here, Miss Blossom. Unfortunately, we cannot divulge patient information over the phone.”_

_“Okay, okay. Fine. I’m on my way, I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”_

_“See you soon.”_

_Cheryl’s heart had dropped from her chest right down to the pit of her stomach, a sudden urge to vomit violently or pass out from the sudden rush of adrenaline flooding through her overcame her for a second before she was off, sweeping her bag and laptop off the desk, books falling to the ground around her, and sprinting to her car._

_The hospital wasn’t far from campus, nothing in Riverdale being_ _too_ _spread out, but it felt like the longest drive of her entire life. It was as though someone had pressed_ _slow-motion_ _on the rest of the planet but had forgotten to include Cheryl._

_Finally, after dumping her car unceremoniously in the first viable space she had seen, Cheryl strode through the automatic doors of the hospital, frantically looking round for any sign of her brother or his girlfriend._

_“Please, my brother was in an accident. Jason Blossom. Someone called me and said I should come in. Where is he? Is he okay? Is Polly okay? Where are the twins? They have twins, babies.”_

_“Cher?” She whipped round at the sound of her best friend's voice._

_“Betts...” Blonde and redhead met in the middle, clutching each other in a tight embrace. “They called me and said JJ and Polly had been in an accident.”_

_It was only then that Cheryl noticed the tears streaming down Betty’s face, the fear and devastation in her sunken eyes. “They didn’t make it.” She croaked out, shaking her head and pulling the redhead back into her arms._

_And then Cheryl felt it. The rip on her being where her brother had once been, torn from her in a second. An open wound._

_The rest of the night past in a blur. They spoke to the coroner. Then the social worker. Betty had already been babysitting the twins that night with Jughead, so he was still at Jason and Polly’s house with them. A lawyer was going to come round the following day and explain to them what the couple had wanted for the twins in the eventuality something happened to them. The eventuality that had happened._

_They both went back to the young family's house. Veronica and Archie were there already with Jughead and the five of them sat and drank tea and cried and cried and cried._

_The following morning, the house had been woken from where they’d fallen asleep on the couches by Cheryl’s distressed, guttural sobs. She had been on the kitchen floor, JJ’s favourite mug on the countertop above her, as she clutched her heart and wailed. A deep, visceral sound. Her twin was dead. Half of her was missing and it physically hurt her to the core of her being._

_Collectively, Veronica and Archie had been able to calm her down, Betty having to excuse herself to another room to calm her aching heart whilst Jughead tended to the twins._

_Around midday, the lawyer and a social worker had arrived and they all sat around the living room to hear what they had to say._

_Jason and Polly had stipulated in their will that Cheryl Marjorie Blossom was to be given soul custody of the twins should both their biological parents be incapable of care._

_It had shocked everyone, all of them having made the assumption that Betty would be given custody, not Cheryl. The blonde had a job, a flat and a long-term boyfriend – Cheryl was in Grad school, rented a room from Veronica and had ended her long-term relationship just months before the twins were born._

_“Are- Are you sure?” It was Betty that had spoken up first and Cheryl’s eyes had shot to her from across the room. “It’s just, it would make more sense if I took them, right?”_

_Archie and Jughead took that as their sign to leave the room with Veronica staying to act as mediator between her friends, unsure as to how this was going to play out._

_“Your sister and brother-in-law specifically stated that Cheryl was to get custody. If you both wish to go through Family Court to petition for this to be changed, you can, but I must warn you, it’s a long tiring process and often can be disruptive to the children involved-”_

_“I want them.” The firm, steady declaration came from across the room and Betty watched as Cheryl stood up. “If that’s what JJ wanted, I’ll do it.”_

_The blonde women stood, stunned to the spot, as Cheryl made her way to the social worker. “Would you like to see them? They’re upstairs...”_

_She led the woman out of the room, refusing to even glance over at her oldest friend. Veronica excused herself to make a pot of coffee to allow Betty a moment alone with the lawyer._

_“This doesn’t make any sense. Why Cheryl? Why not me? I’m way more prepared for this than she is! She’s not settled at all- she can’t look after two tiny babies! What were they thinking? What if I want to petition this myself? Without Cheryl knowing...”_

_It was irrational, she knew, but she couldn’t help but feel insulted by her sister’s decision. How could she have chosen Cheryl over her?_

_The lawyer watched her rant with a knowing look, reaching forward to retrieve a dossier from their bag. From within that, they retrieved an envelope, sliding it across the coffee table towards Betty. “Your sister asked me to give you this letter privately having revealed their decision about the twins’ custody. I am unaware of the contents, but I hope it will bring you some understanding and peace on their choice.”_

“I’m sorry I ever doubted you, Cher. And I’m sorry I didn’t share this sooner, but it’s all I had left of Polly and I was being selfish. I want to read it to you now, though, if you’d like...?” 

Veronica was watching intently as Cheryl took in this new information, sending Betty reassuring smiles as the offer spun around the redhead’s head. 

“You may proceed.” 

Betty nodded, flicking her eyes down to the image of the letter she had on her phone. “Okay, this is it... 

_Betty,_

_From the moment you were born, you’ve been my best friend, my confidant and the best sister I could have ever asked for. I love you so dearly. So fully. With all of my heart and soul._

_If you’re reading this letter it’s because the unimaginable has happened to Jason and I. My baby sister, I am so sorry I have had to leave you early. I wish we could have grown old together and watched our children grow together. I wish I could be there for all the holidays and events. I’m sure you and Cheryl will maintain the Blossom/Cooper tradition of spending every major celebration together. I’d like that. I’d like that for Juniper and Dagwood too._

_This is why I’m writing this letter to you. I’m sure you’ve found out by now that Jason and I have given Cheryl full custody of the twins should anything happen to us. Hopefully they’re safely tucked up in her arms as you read this – I’m sure she’s having a mini-breakdown at the responsibility of suddenly being in charge of two human lives._

_Don’t be mad at me, Betts. Cheryl just lost her twin._

_Jason and Cheryl have a connection I’ve never witnessed between siblings before – when one of them is in pain, the other feels it just as painfully. When one of them is elated, the other buzzes at the same frequency. It’s really something special. That’s why Jay and I have chosen Cheryl to be the twins’ guardian. She has just lost half of herself and the twins are a tiny part of that half. Not only that, but she’ll be able to understand them more than you and I ever could. The Blossom Twin Connection is comprehendible only by those who have experienced it; and as much as it pains (and annoys!) me to write this, Jason and Cheryl share something with Dagwood and Juniper that I can’t even begin to understand._

_She’s going to need you, Betty. She’s going to need to lean on you so heavily and I know you’re already prepared to catch her – you've probably caught her already._

_Keep them safe for me. Remind my babies everyday of how much I loved them._

_I love you round the rosebush and back, baby sister._

_Your big sister always,_

_Polly_ ” 

A silence fell over the room as Betty finished off her reading. All three of them were crying, gentle, quiet tears that rolled softly over their cheeks and onto their chests. 

Cheryl stood and crossed the small room, bringing her oldest friend into a tight embrace. “Oh, Betty.” It was all she said as she squeezed and was squeezed back. “I love you.” 

“I love you too, Cher. And so did Jason and Polly.... They knew you were going to be the best mom to the twins and they were right! You’ve dedicated every second of the past year to them. Please, please, please. Just allow yourself this one night.” 

“One night with a steamy hot doctor.” Veronica chimed in from her spot on the couch and the tension in the room was broken, Cheryl and Betty making their way back over to sit with a chuckle. 

Cheryl cast her eye over to her phone, supressing a smile when she saw a notification from Toni flashing on her lock screen. “Trust you to ruin such a sweet moment, Ronnie.” She scoffed, fetching her wine back from the table and taking a long sip. 

**[Toni Topaz]:** At the diner now for my late night snack. This waitress isn’t half as gorgeous as the one that served me last night. 

**[Toni Topaz]:** Sorry if I’m coming on too strong, I don’t want to overstep. 

**[Cheryl Bombshell]:** Would you like to go out for drinks with me on Tuesday next week? 

“Okay. I sent it. I asked her if she would like to go for drinks with me on Tuesday. Does that work for everyone?” 

Betty and Veronica both nodded eagerly and the pale woman locked her phone shut and threw it away from her. “I’ll get back to you with her answer, but for now, let’s resume the film.” 


End file.
